Pile Fabric And Method For Producing The Same

ABSTRACT

A pile fabric having a ground structure portion having a knitted or woven structure comprising organic fiber yarns and a cut pile portion comprising cut piles knitted or woven in said ground structure and having a single fiber fineness of 0.1 to 2.0 dtex is woven or knitted, ant then subjected to a thermal treatment to thermally shrink the above-mentioned cut piles to obtain the pile fabric in which the cut pile density of the cut pile portion is in a range of 40,000 to 300,000 dtex/cm 2  and the cut pile length of the cut piles is in a range of 0.20 to 2.00 mm. If necessary, said pile fabric is used to obtain a vehicle interior material.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a pile fabric having a ground structure portion and a cut pile portion. In more detail, the present invention relates to a pile fabric having a ground structure portion, and a cut pile portion comprising cut piles knitted or woven in said ground structure portion, and exhibiting the same high grade appearance and smooth touch as those of a flocked pile fabric having a large cut pile density and a small cut pile length, and to a method for producing the same.

BACKGROUND ART

Hitherto, pile fabrics composed of cut pile portions and ground structure portions have been used in wide fields, because of having excellent appearances and surface touches. Especially, flocked pile fabrics obtained by electric flocking called flocking processing exhibit high grade appearances and smooth touches originated from the compacted touches and ultra small cut pile lengths of cut piles, because of having large cut pile densities and small cut pile lengths. Therefore, materials such as polyester fibers and nylon fibers have widely been used in the fields of interiors such as upholsteries, vehicle interior materials, clothes, and the like, as high grade articles (for example, see the patent document 1).

However, when such the flocked pile fabrics have been used as car sheet members, there has been a problem that the adhesive forces of the roots of the cut piles have been deteriorated to cause the coming-off of the cut piles from the ground structure portions during the repeated getting-on and off movements of passengers, because the roots of the cut piles have chemically been adhered to the ground structure portions.

As a method for preventing such the cut pile coming-off, the patent document 1 has proposed to knot the root portions of the cut piles, but has sufficiently not solved the problem of the cut pile coming-off due to the deterioration of the adhesive forces, because a chemical adhesion treatment has basically been applied.

[Patent document 1] JP-A 10-168693 (JP-A means “Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication”)

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a pile fabric having a ground structure portion, and a cut pile portion comprising cut piles knitted or woven in said ground structure portion, and exhibiting the same high grade appearance and smooth touch as those of a flocked pile fabric having a large cut pile density and a small cut pile length, wherein the cut piles little come off the ground structure, and a method for producing the same. The above-mentioned object can be achieved by the pile fabric of the present invention and the method for producing the same.

The pile fabric of the present invention is a pile fabric having a ground structure portion having a knitted or woven structure comprising organic fiber yarns and a cut pile portion formed of cut piles knitted or woven in said ground structure portion, characterized in that the cut pile density of the above-mentioned cut pile portion is 40,000 to 300,000 dtex/cm², and the single fiber fineness and cut pile length of the cut piles are in the ranges of 0.1 to 2.0 dtex and 0.20 to 2.00 mm, respectively.

Therein, the above-mentioned cut pile density is calculated according to the following expression. Cut pile density[dtex/cm²]=(single fiber fineness of cut piles)[dtex]×(number of cut piles per cm²)[cut piles/cm²].

Herein, it is preferable that the single fiber fineness of the cut piles is in a range of 0.1 to 1.2 dtex. Also, it is preferable that the cut pile length is in a range of 0.20 to 0.80 mm. It is preferable that the inclination angle of the cut piles is in a range of 70 to 90 degree. Also, it is preferable that the cut piles are polyester-based fiber yarns at the point of recyclability. Meanwhile, it is preferable that the organic fiber yarns for forming the ground structure portion also are polyester-based fiber yarns at the point of recyclability.

Subsequently, the method for producing the pile fabric of the present invention is a method for producing a pile fabric in which the cut pile density of the cut pile portion is in a range of 40,000 to 300,000 dtex/cm² and the cut pile length of the cut piles is in a range of 0.20 to 2.00 mm, characterized by weaving or knitting a pile fabric having a ground structure portion having a knitted or woven structure comprising organic fiber yarns and a cut pile portion formed of cut piles knitted or woven in said ground structure and having a single fiber fineness of 0.1 to 2.0 dtex and a boiling water shrinkage of not less than 20%, and then applying a thermal treatment to said pile fabric to thermally shrink the above-mentioned cut piles.

Therein, the employment of yarns having a boiling water shrinkage of not less than 20% and/or false-twisted yarns having a crimp percent of not less than 30% as the organic fiber yarns for forming the ground structure portion is preferable, because the above-mentioned cut pile density is obtained in the cut pile portion.

Subsequently, the vehicle interior material of the present invention is a vehicle interior material using the above-mentioned pile fabric.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

FIG. 1 is an explanatory drawing for explaining the inclination angle θ and cut pile length of the cut piles in the pile fabric of the present invention. 1 indicates a ground structure. 2 indicates cut piles. 3 indicates a cut pile portion.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The pile fabric of the present invention has a ground structure portion (A) having a knitted or woven structure comprising organic fiber yarns and a cut pile portion (B) comprising cut piles knitted or woven in the above-mentioned ground structure portion and extended from at least one side of the above-mentioned ground structure portion. The pile fabric of the present invention has a characteristic that the cut piles less come off the ground structure portion than cut piles in conventional flocked pile fabrics, because the cut piles are knitted or woven in the ground structure portion.

It is necessary that the single fiber fineness of the above-mentioned cut piles is in a range of 0.1 to 2.0 dtex (preferably 0.1 to 1.2 dtex, especially preferably 0.2 to 0.6 dtex). It is not preferable that the single fiber fineness of the cut piles is smaller than 0.1 dtex, because there is a fear of problems such as the breakage of the cut piles and the deterioration of color fastness due to friction, as well as because the maintenance of the pile state becomes difficult. Conversely, it is not preferable that said single fiber fineness is larger than 2.0 dtex, because it becomes difficult to exhibit a smooth touch.

Also, it is necessary that the cut pile length of the above-mentioned cut piles is in a range of 0.20 to 2.00 mm (preferably 0.20 to 0.80 mm, especially preferably 0.30 to 0.70 mm). It is not preferable that said cut pile length is smaller than 0.20 mm, because the transparent appearance of the ground structure portion is increased to give an irregular appearance and deteriorate a high grade appearance. Conversely, it is not preferable that said cut pile length is larger than 2.00 mm, because the retention in the standing state of the cut piles becomes difficult to again deteriorate the high grade appearance. In the present invention, the cut pile length is a value L/sin θ obtained by dividing a cut pile height L by sin θ, as shown in FIG. 1.

It is necessary that the cut pile density of the cut pile portion formed of such the cut piles is in a range of 40,000 to 300,000 dtex/cm² (preferably 50,000 to 150,000 dtex/cm², especially preferably 100,000 to 140,000 dtex/cm²). It is not preferable that said cut pile density is smaller than 40,000 dtex/cm², because the cut piles are liable to fall, thereby not giving the same high grade appearance and smooth touch, the main purposes of the present invention, as those of flocked pile fabrics. Such the pile-falling phenomenon is remarkable, when the pile fabric of the present invention is used as a vehicle interior material such as a car seat member in severe using conditions. To the contrary, it is not preferable that said cut pile density is larger than 300,000 dtex/cm², because the increase in the production cost as well as the hardening of the hand are caused.

Therein, the above-described cut pile density is calculated according to the following expression. Cut pile density[dtex/cm²]=(single fiber fineness of cut piles)[dtex]×(number of cut piles per cm²)[cut piles/cm²].

The number of the cut piles per cm² may be obtained by measuring the number of the cut piles per cm² (square whose one side is 1 cm)[cut piles/cm²], but may be calculated according to the following expression. Number of cut piles per cm²[cut piles/cm²]=(number of loop piles per cm²)[loop piles/cm²]×(number of filaments of pile yarn)[filaments]×2

The cut pile portion having such the cut pile density can easily be obtained by using highly thermally shrinkable yarns or false-twisted crimped yarns as the yarns for the ground structure portion as described later.

It is preferable for obtaining the same high grade appearance and smooth touch as those of flocked pile fabrics that the inclination angle of the above-mentioned cut piles is in a range of 70 to 90 degree. When said inclination angle is smaller than 70 degree, a directional property is formed in the cut pile portion, whereby it is feared that the objective high grade appearance and smooth touch are not obtained. Such the inclination angle is easily obtained by forming a pile knitted or woven fabric having such the cut pile density as in the above-mentioned range and then, if necessary, uprightly standing the cut piles with an ordinary rotary heat brush having a straight card cloth on the surface. Therein, the inclination angle is an angle θ between the cut piles and the ground structure portion as shown in FIG. 1. 90 degree is right angle.

The kind of the fibers for forming the above-mentioned cut piles is especially not limited, but may be conventional fibers such as cotton, wool, linen, viscose rayon fibers, polyester fibers, polyetherester fibers, acrylic fibers, nylon fibers, polyolefin fibers, cellulose acetate fibers, or aramid fibers. Among them, the polyester-based fibers are especially preferable at the point of recyclability. The polyester-based fibers are produced from a dicarboxylic acid component and a diglycol component. It is preferable that terephthalic acid is mainly used as the dicarboxylic acid component, and it is preferable that one or more alkylene glycols selected from ethylene glycol, trimethylene glycol and tetramethylene glycol are mainly used as the diglycol component. The polyester resin may contain the third component in addition to the above-mentioned dicarboxylic acid component and glycol component. One or more of cationic dye-dyeable anionic components, such as sodium sulfoisophthalic acid; dicarboxylic acids except the terephthalic acid, such as isophthalic acid, naphthalene dicarboxylic acid, adipic acid, and sebacic acid; glycol compounds except the alkylene glycol, such as diethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, bisphenol A, and biphenol sulfone may be used as said third component. Furthermore, biodegradable polyester fibers such as polylactate fibers may be contained.

The resin for forming the fibers may, if necessary, contain one or more of a matting agent (titanium dioxide), a micro pore-forming agent (a metal organic sulfonate), a coloration-preventing agent, a thermal stabilizer, a flame retardant (antimony trioxide), a fluorescent brighter, a coloring pigment, an antistatic agent (a metal sulfonate), a moisture absorbent (a polyoxyalkylene glycol), an anti-microbial agent, and other inorganic particles.

The form of the cut piles may be the form of non-crimped piles or the form of crimped piles obtained by a false-twisting crimping method, a mechanically crimping method, or a method for thermally treating side-by-side type latent crimping conjugated fibers especially without being limited, but the form of the non-crimped piles is preferable for obtaining a high grade appearance.

The single fiber cross-sectional shape of the cut piles is especially not limited, but may be an ordinary circular cross-sectional shape or a triangular, flat, constricted flat, cruciate, six-lobar or hollow cross-sectional shape.

In the pile fabric of the present invention, the ground structure portion has the knitted or woven structure comprising the organic fiber yarns. Fibers constituting such the organic fiber yarns may be the same fibers as the above-mentioned fibers exemplified for the cut piles. Especially for the use of vehicle interior materials, the polyester-based fibers are preferable at the point of recyclability.

The form of the organic fiber yarns constituting the ground structure portion is especially not limited, but is preferably the form of filaments (multi-filament yarns). The single fiber fineness and total fineness of said organic fiber yarns are preferably 0.5 to 5.0 dtex and 30 to 300 dtex, respectively, for preventing the deterioration in the hand of the fabric. The cross-sectional shape of the single fiber is not limited, but may be an ordinary circular cross-sectional shape or a triangular, flat, constricted flat, cruciate, six-lobar or hollow cross-sectional shape. Additionally, such the organic fiber yarns may be false-twisted crimped yarns, composite yarns obtained by subjecting two or more kinds of constituting yarns to an air-blending treatment or a composite false-twisting treatment, or covered yarns comprising elastic fibers placed in the core portions and non-elastic fibers placed in the sheath portions.

The pile fabric of the present invention can easily be obtained, for example, by the following production method. First, yarns comprising the above-mentioned fibers having a single fiber fineness of 0.1 to 2.0 dtex (preferably 0.1 to 1.2 dtex, especially preferably 0.2 to 0.6 dtex) as the yarns for the cut piles, and yarns comprising the above-mentioned fibers as the organic fiber yarns for the ground structure portion are knitted or woven to produce the pile fabric.

Therein, it is important that the yarns for the cut piles have a boiling water shrinkage (BWS) of not less than 20% (preferably 22 to 40%). By using the yarns having such the large boiling water shrinkage as the yarns for the piles, the piles can thermally be shrunk by the later-described thermal treatment to obtain the extremely short pile length of 0.20 to 2.00 mm. As the yarns having such the high boiling water shrinkage, for example, the following polyester filament yarns are suitably exemplified. Namely, the polyester filament yarn is obtained by supplying a copolyester resin obtained by copolymerizing a conventional dicarboxylic acid component, a conventional alkylene glycol component, and one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of dicarboxylic acids such as isophthalic acid, naphthalene dicarboxylic acid, adipic acid, and sebacic acid, glycols such as diethylene glycol and polyethylene glycol, bisphenol A, bisphenol sulfone, and the like, as the third component, to a conventional spinning process, and then drawing the obtained undrawn filament yarn by a conventional method. In a case for obtaining a polyester filament yarn having a higher boiling water shrinkage, the obtained undrawn filament yarn is directly wound up at a winding rate of about 3,500 m/min without applying a drawing treatment to the undrawn filament yarn, and then slightly drawing the undrawn filament yarn at a draw ratio of 1.3 to 1.5 at temperature of 60 to 80° C. to obtain the polyester filament yarn having the higher boiling water shrinkage.

Also, it is preferable that yarns having a boiling water shrinkage of not less than 20% (preferably not less than 40%, especially preferably 50 to 90%) or conventional false-twisted crimped yarns having a crimp percent of not less than 30% (preferably 35 to 50%) are used as the organic fiber yarns for the ground structure portion, because the fabric is shrunk by thermal shrinkage due to a thermal treatment or by the elasticity-recovering force of the false-twisted crimped yarns to easily give a cut pile density in the above-mentioned range.

Herein, when a pile fabric whose ground structure portion has a knitted structure is obtained, a method for knitting a ground structure to form a loop pile structure, such as a sinker pile structure, a pole tricot pile structure, or a double raschel pile structure, extended on the ground structure, and then cutting the loop piles, or the like, is adopted. The pole tricot pile structure is obtained by treating the pile knitted portion of the tricot knitted structure with a raising machine to form the loop piles.

Meanwhile, when a pile fabric whose ground structure portion has a woven structure is obtained, a method for forming a warp pile woven fabric or a weft pile woven fabric, and then cutting the loop piles, or a method for forming a moquette woven fabric, and then center-cutting the loop piles is adopted.

Subsequently, a conventional dyeing-finishing treatment is applied to such the pile fabric. Thereby, the cut piles are thermally shrunk with heat generated in the treatment to obtain the pile fabric of the present invention, wherein the cut pile density of the cut pile portion of the pile fabric is controlled to a range of 40,000 to 300,000 dtex/cm² (preferably 50,000 to 150,000 dtex/cm², especially preferably 100,000 to 140,000 dtex/cm²), and the cut pile length of the cut piles is controlled to a range of 0.20 to 2.00 mm (preferably 0.20 to 0.80 mm, especially preferably 0.30 to 0.70 mm).

Therein, when the dyeing-finishing treatment is not applied, it is preferable that the cut piles are thermally shrunk by a wet heat treatment method at 80 to 130° C. (more preferably 100 to 110° C.) or a dry heat treatment method at 150 to 200° C. (more preferably 160 to 180° C.).

In the pile fabric thus obtained, the cut piles having a small single fiber fineness of 0.1 to 2.0 dtex form the cut pile portion having the high cut pile density and the extremely small cut pile length. Consequently, such the pile fabric exhibits the same high grade appearance and smooth touch as those of flocked pile fabrics produced by a flocking method. Furthermore, the pile fabric has a characteristic that the cut piles less come off than those of conventional flocked pile fabrics, because the cut piles are knitted or woven in the ground structure portion.

In addition, in the ground structure portion of the short cut pile fabric of the present invention, another layer such as a known back coating layer or a pile portion may be formed on the surface of the side opposite to the cut pile portion. Furthermore, various function-imparting treatments such as a conventional dyeing-finishing treatment, a color-printing treatment, a water-repelling treatment, an ultraviolet ray-shading agent, a microbicide, a deodorant, an insecticide, a luminous agent, a retro-reflecting agent, or a minus ion generator are added and applied.

Subsequently, the vehicle interior material of the prevent invention is a vehicle interior material using the above-mentioned pile fabric. A concrete vehicle interior material includes a car seat member and a ceiling material. The vehicle interior material of the present invention exhibits the same high grade appearance and smooth touch as those of flocked pile fabrics, because of using the above-mentioned pile fabric.

EXAMPLES

Examples and Comparative Examples of the present invention will be explained in more detail hereafter, but the present invention is not limited to Examples and Comparative Examples. Additionally, measurement items in Examples and Comparative Examples were measured by the following methods, respectively.

(1) Pile Coming-Off Quantity (PCO)

A 70 mm-wide, 300 mm-long test fabric was prepared in the warp direction of the pile fabric. A 70 mm-wide, 300 mm-long test fabric was also prepared in the weft direction of the pile fabric. A slab urethane foam having the same size as that of said test fabric was attached to the back side of the prepared test fabric. Then, both the ends of said test fabric were fixed to the slab urethane foam in a non-loose state. The 140 mm-long area of the test fabric was reciprocatedly rubbed with a 9.8±0.098 N-loaded rubbing member having a contact area of 20 mm×20 mm 10,000 times at a rate of 60±10 times/min. The test was carried out in each direction. Pile coming-off quantities (PCO) were calculated according to the following expression, and their average value was calculated. PCO (%)=(W1−W2)/(W1×0.152)×100

Therein, W1 is the mass of the un-rubbed test fabric, and W2 is the mass of the rubbed test fabric.

(2) Inclination Angle of Cut Piles

The cross section of the pile fabric was photographed (50 magnifications) with a microscope (model: VH-6300) manufactured by Keyence (Ltd.), and the angle θ between the cup piles and the ground structure portion shown in FIG. 1 was measured. Therein, the number of n was 5, and the average value was determined.

(3) Cut Pile Length of Cut Piles

The cross section of the pile fabric was photographed (50 magnifications) with a microscope (model: VH-6300) manufactured by Keyence (Ltd.), and the whole thickness of the pile fabric and the thickness of the ground structure portion were measured. The cut pile length L/sin 0 of the cut piles was calculated according to the following expression. Therein, the whole thickness was obtained by measuring the distance from the lowest portion of the ground structure portion to the highest portion of the cup piles. The number of n was 5, and the average value was determined. L=(whole thickness)[mm]−(thickness of ground structure portion)[mm]Cut pile length(mm)=L/sin θ

(4) Cut Pile Density

First, the number of cut piles per cm² (1 cm×1 cm) [cut piles/cm²] was calculated according to the following expression. Number of cut piles per cm²[cut piles/cm²]=(number of loop piles per cm²)(loop piles/cm²)×(number of filaments of cut pile) (filaments)×2

Subsequently, the cut pile density was calculated according to the following expression. Therein, the number of n is 5, and the average value was determined. Cut pile density[dtex/cm²]=(single fiber fineness)[dtex]×(number of cut piles)[cut piles/cm²]

(5) Boiling Water Shrinkage (BWS)

A sample filament yarn was wound on a counter wheel having a circumferential length of 1.125 m at ten revolutions to make the skein, and the skein was hung from a hanging nail of a scale plate. A load of 1/30 based on the total weight of the skein was hung from the lower end of the hung skein, and the length L1 of the untreated skein was measured.

The load was removed from the skein, and the skein was put in a cotton bag. The cotton bag receiving the skein was taken out from boiling water, and the skein was taken out from the cotton bag. The water contained in the skein was absorbed in filter paper. The dehydrated skein was dried in air at room temperature for 24 hours, and then hung from the hanging nail of the above-mentioned scale plate. A load of ⅓ based on the total mass of the skein was hung from the lower portion of the hung skein similarly as above mentioned, and the length L2 of the shrunk skein was measured.

The boiling water shrinkage (BWS) of the sample filament yarn was calculated according to the following expression. BWS (%)=((L1−L2)/L1)×100

(6) Crimp Percent CP

A sample filament yarn was wound on a counter wheel having a circumferential length of 1.125 m to prepare a skein having a dry fineness of 3,333 dtex.

The above-mentioned skein was hung from a hanging nail of a scale plate. An initial load of 6 g and additionally a load of 600 g were hung from the lower portion of the skein, and the length L0 of the skein was measured. Then, the loads were immediately removed, and the skein was separated from the scale plate and immersed in boiling water for 30 minutes to develop the crimps. Subsequently, the skein treated in the boiling water was taken out from the boiling water, and the water contained in the skein was absorbed off in filter paper. The skein was dried in air at room temperature for 24 hours, and then hung from the hanging nail of the scale plate. A load of 600 g was hung from the lower portion, and the length Lla of the treated skein was measured one minute later. Then, the load was detached, and the length L2a of the skein was measured one minute later. The crimp percent (CP) of the sample filament yarn was calculated according to the following expression. CP [%]=((L1a−L2a)/L0)×100

(7) Evaluation of High Grade Appearance

The appearance was visually judged by three testers. Grade 3 excellent at the point of the high grade appearance. Grade 2: somewhat inferior. Grade 1: inferior.

(8) Evaluation of Surface Touch

The surface touch was sensually evaluated by three testers. Grade 3: excellent in smoothness. Grade 2: somewhat inferior in smoothness.

Grade 1: inferior in smoothness.

Example 1

A copolyester having a relative viscosity of 1.45 was prepared from an acid component comprising terephthalic acid and isophthalic acid in a molar ratio of 93/7 and a glycol component comprising ethylene glycol. This copolyester resin was melt-spun, and wound up at a winding rate of 3,500 m/min to produce the partially oriented un-drawn copolyester multifilament. The undrawn multifilament yarn was drawn between the 65° C. first roller and the 75° C. second roller of a drawing machine at a draw ratio of 1.4 without being thermally set to obtain the copolyester filament yarn (yarn count: 100 dtex/12 filaments) which was used as a yarn for a ground structure. The boiling water shrinkage (BWS) of the copolyester filament yarn was 65%.

Meanwhile, the same copolyester as the above-described copolyester was melt-spun and wound up at a winding rate of 3,500 m/min to produce the partially oriented un-drawn copolyester multifilament. The partially oriented un-drawn copolyester multifilament was drawn by a conventional drawing method to obtain the copolyester filament yarn (yarn count: 140 dtex/288 filaments), which was used as a yarn for cut piles. The boiling water shrinkage (BWS) of this copolyester filament yarn was 24%.

Subsequently, the above-mentioned yarns for the ground structure and the above-mentioned yarns for the piles were fully set and arranged to the back reed and front reed, respectively, of a conventional pole sinker knitting machine (manufactured by Karl Mayer Corp., 28 gauges, the height of the pole sinker: 1 mm) to obtain the pile knitted fabric having a loop pile height of 1.0 mm by a knitting method (front: 10/45, back: 10/12).

Then, the tip portions of the piles of the above-mentioned pile fabric were cut in a length of 0.21 mm with a conventional shearing machine (manufactured by Nikki (Ltd.)) to obtain the pile fabric having the cut piles having a cut pile length of 0.79 mm. Thereafter, said pile fabric was subjected to a dry heat treatment using a conventional dry heat setter at 190° C. for 45 sec to thermally shrink the yarns for the ground structure and the cut piles, thus obtaining the pile fabric in which the cut pile density of the cut pile portion was 125,000 dtex/cm² and the cut pile length of the cut piles was 0.60 mm.

Said pile fabric was dyed with a conventional disperse dye by the use of a conventional jet dyeing machine (manufactured by (Ltd.) Hisaka Seisakusho) at a temperature of 130° C. for a time of 30 min. After dyed, the pile fabric was subjected to a fallen pile-standing treatment using a rotary heat brush machine (straight card cloth) manufactured by Nikki (Ltd.) at a temperature of 170° C. for a time of one min. to stand the fallen piles developed during the dyeing treatment. Finally, the treated pile fabric was subjected to a dry heat treatment using a conventional dry heat setter (manufactured by (Ltd.) Hirano Tecseed) at a temperature of 180° C. for a time of one minute to obtain the pile fabric having a cut pile portion cut pile density of 130,000 dtex/cm², a cut pile length of 0.60 mm, an inclination angle of 83 degree and a cut pile single fiber fineness of 0.49 dtex. The obtained pile fabric had a pile coming-out quantity (PCO) of 0.82%, and exhibited excellent pile coming-out resistance, excellent high grade appearance (third grade), and smooth surface touch (third grade).

Additionally, the pile fabric was used to obtain a car seat member, which exhibited an excellent high grade appearance (third grade) and an excellent smooth surface touch (third grade).

Example 2

A pile knitted fabric was produced similarly as in Example 1 except that false-twisted crimped yarns (yarn count: 167 dtex/48 fibers) comprising ordinary polyethylene terephthalate and having a crimp percent of 40% were used as the yarns for the ground structure in Example 1. Then, the tip portions of the piles of the above-described pile knitted fabric were cut in a length of 0.15 mm with a conventional shearing machine (manufactured by Nikki (Ltd.) to obtain the pile fabric having cut piles having a cut pile length of 0.85 mm. Thereafter, the treated pile knitted fabric was subjected to the same thermal treatment, dyeing treatment, cut pile-standing treatment, and dry heat treatment as those in Example 1 to obtain the pile fabric having a cut pile portion cut pile density of 105,000 dtex/6 m², a cut pile length of 0.68 mm, an inclination angle of 78 degree and a cut pile single fiber fineness of 0.49 dtex. The obtained pile fabric exhibited a pile coming-out quantity (PCO) of 0.92%, excellent pile coming-out resistance, excellent high grade appearance (third grade), and smooth surface touch (third grade). Further, said pile fabric had excellent handleability on a sewing treatment, because of having good stretchability.

Comparative Example 1

A pile knitted fabric was produced similarly as in Example 1 except that drawn yarns (yarn count: 167 dtex/48 fibers) comprising ordinary polyethylene terephthalate and having a boiling water shrinkage of 3.2% were used as the yarns for the piles in Example 1. Then, the tip portions of the piles of the above-described pile knitted fabric were cut in a length of 0.23 mm with a conventional shearing machine (manufactured by Nikki (Ltd.)) to obtain the pile fabric having the cut piles having a cut pile length of 0.77 mm. Therein, the load of the shearing machine was increased to cause the deterioration of the surface grade by shearing stages or the like. Then, the treated pile knitted fabric was subjected to the same thermal treatment, dyeing treatment, cut pile-standing treatment, and dry heat treatment as those in Example 1 to obtain the pile fabric having a cut pile length of 0.74 mm. In the obtained pile fabric, the deterioration of the surface grade by the above-mentioned shearing stages or the like was observed.

Comparative Example 2

A pile knitted fabric was produced similarly as in Example 1 except that drawn yarns (yarn count: 167 dtex/48 fibers) comprising ordinary polyethylene terephthalate and having a boiling water shrinkage of 3.2% were used as the yarns for the piles in Example 1. Then, the tip portions of the piles of the above-described pile knitted fabric were cut in a length of 0.14 mm with a conventional shearing machine (manufactured by Nikki (Ltd.)) to obtain the pile fabric having the cut piles having a cut pile length of 0.86 mm. Then, the treated pile knitted fabric was subjected to the same thermal treatment, dyeing treatment, cut pile-standing treatment, and dry heat treatment as those in Example 1 to obtain the pile fabric having a cut pile length of 0.83 mm. The obtained pile fabric was somewhat inferior (second grade) at the point of high grade appearance, because the single fiber fineness of the cut piles was large.

Comparative Example 3

Drawn yarns (yarn count: 84 dtex/36 fibers) comprising ordinary polyethylene terephthalate were knitted to produce the knitted fabric having a tricot knitted satin structure. Then, cut piles were flocked in said knitted fabric by an electric flocking method to obtain the electrically flocked pile fabric having a cut pile portion pile density of 84,000 dtex/cm², a cut pile length of 0.38 mm, and a cut pile single fiber fineness of 0.1 dtex.

Said electrically flocked pile fabric had a pile coming-off quantity (PCO) of 4.13%, and was hence insufficient at the point of pile coming-off resistance.

Comparative Example 4

A pile fabric was produced similarly as in Example 1 except that the cut pile density of the cut pile portion was changed into 38,000 dtex/cm² in Example 1. In the obtained pile fabric, the inclination angle of the cut piles was 56 degree, and it was difficult to hold the standing state of the cut piles, thereby causing the directional property of the cut piles. Hence, the obtained pile fabric was inferior (first grade) at the point of high grade appearance, and also inferior (first grade) in the smoothness of touch.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The pile fabric of the present invention has a characteristic that the pile fabric exhibits the same high grade appearance and smooth touch as those of a flocked pile fabric having a large cut pile density and a short cut pile length and a characteristic that the cut piles of the pile fabric little come off the ground structure portion, and can therefore be used in the uses of vehicle interior materials such as car seat members, interior members such as upholsteries and carpet members, and the like. Especially, the pile fabric can preferably be used for the use of the car seat members needing good getting-on or off resistance. 

1. A pile fabric having a ground structure portion having a knitted or woven structure comprising organic fiber yarns and a cut pile portion comprising cut piles knitted or woven in said ground structure portion, characterized in that the cut pile density of the above-mentioned cut pile portion is 40,000 to 300,000 dtex/cm², and the single fiber fineness and cut pile length of the cut piles are in the ranges of 0.1 to 2.0 dtex and 0.20 to 2.00 mm, respectively. Therein, the above-mentioned cut pile density is calculated according to the following expression. Cut pile density[dtex/cm²]=(single fiber fineness of cut piles)[dtex]×(number of cut piles per cm²)[cut piles/cm^(2])
 2. The pile fabric according to claim 1, wherein the single fiber fineness of the cut piles is in a range of 0.1 to 1.2 dtex.
 3. The pile fabric according to claim 1, wherein the cut pile length is in a range of 0.20 to 0.80 mm.
 4. The pile fabric according to claim 1, wherein the inclination angle of the cut piles is in a range of 70 to 90 degree.
 5. The pile fabric according to claim 1, wherein the cut piles are polyester-based fiber yarns.
 6. The pile fabric according to claim 1, wherein the organic fiber yarns for forming the ground structure portion are polyester-based fiber yarns.
 7. A method for producing a pile fabric, characterized by weaving or knitting a pile fabric having a ground structure portion having a knitted or woven structure comprising organic fiber yarns and a cut pile portion comprising cut piles knitted or woven in said ground structure portion and having a single fiber fineness of 0.1 to 2.0 dtex and a boiling water shrinkage of not less than 20%, and then applying a thermal treatment to said pile fabric to thermally shrink the above-mentioned cut piles to obtain the pile fabric in which the cut pile density of the cut pile portion is in a range of 40,000 to 300,000 dtex/cm² and the cut pile length of the cut piles is in a range of 0.20 to 2.00 mm.
 8. The method for producing the pile fabric according to claim 7, wherein yarns having a boiling water shrinkage of not less than 20% are used as the organic fiber yarns for forming the ground structure.
 9. The method for producing the pile fabric according to claim 7, wherein false-twisted yarns having a crimp percent of not less than 30% are used as the organic fiber yarns for forming the ground structure.
 10. A vehicle interior material using the pile fabric according to claim
 1. 11. A vehicle interior material using the pile fabric according to claim
 2. 12. A vehicle interior material using the pile fabric according to claim
 3. 13. A vehicle interior material using the pile fabric according to claim
 4. 14. A vehicle interior material using the pile fabric according to claim
 5. 15. A vehicle interior material using the pile fabric according to claim
 6. 